Public universities are financed by federal funds. A significant portion of this funding depends on how many studies at a university are taking exams actively ("prüfungsaktiv"). Here you will find general information on exam activity and tips for students. Including the question: "Why does this affect me as a student?"
Assistance to the Vice Rectorate for Academic Affairs
Lessingstraße 32/2nd floor
vr-lehre@tugraz.at
"Prüfungsaktivität" - what's this?
Studies are considered "exam-active" ("prüfungsaktiv") if at least 16 ECTS credits are successfully completed per academic year (excluding credits transferred from other institutions; in the case of multiple enrolments, ECTS credits are not added together but counted per degree programme). In the field of teaching, the number of examination-active studies contributes significantly to university funding. Put simply, more exam-active studies mean more financial resources, which ultimately benefits students themselves, for example by enabling better student-teacher ratios. By actively progressing in their studies, students can thus contribute to improving their own study conditions.
Roughly 2 out of 3 studies (academic year 2023/24: 64,9 %) are counted as "exam-active" at TU Graz. That's slightly above the average of Austrian universities of 64 %.
(Source: unidata.gv.at, Proportion of exam-active studies in regular studies, Intellectual capital report key figure 2.A.6. Contact for questions: qm@tugraz.at, Quality Management, Evaluation and Reporting)
For students: FAQs and support for your study progress
With 16 ECTS credits per academic year you are not only reaching the threshold of being "exam-active", but also ensure that you continue to receive family allowance, provided that you are eligible. You are not on your own when it comes to achieving this academic progress! As a university, we offer you a range of support services to help you succeed in your studies.
Support and counselling offers for your study progress
Several new offers have been created especially for those who are just below the examination activity threshold (between 6 and 15,9 ECTS credits per academic year). These are also available to all other TU Graz students, if required:
- Counselling offer ExamACTIVE!: We discuss your framework conditions and work with you to determine the next steps for you. Available online or in person, as desired. Completely confidential. Click here to book an appointment.
- Write & Study SPACE: Every Friday, TU Graz students meet to work on their projects, study or write texts. The Write & Study SPACE is open to anyone interested and everyone can participate. The advantages are: regular meetings that guarantee progress, a productive and motivating atmosphere, contact with students who are pursuing similar projects and may be facing the same challenges. Registration
- Write & Study SPACE - Focus Weeks: At the end of the summer semester, we offer you a daily structure for your study progress with numerous activities such as introductory impulses, goal setting, check-ins, work blocks, results consolidation and much more. Ideal for your busy end-of-semester phase with exams and assignments. If you are interested, leave us your email address and you will receive all the information in good time.
- Workshop StudyPLAN - how are you planning your semester? In this workshop, students share their planning methods and experiences and jointly develop strategies for realistic and successful study and semester planning.
- 29 April 2026, 10 am - 1 pm
- Registration for the workshop (event in German)
Mental Health is a central topic for TU Graz. To support students, we provide series of talks as well as individual counselling offers.
- Series of talks ExamACTIVE! with specific key topics (all talks in German)*:
- Sleep health (online): Awake at night, exhausted during the day: sleep problems among students. 06 May 2026, 5-6 pm, participation link is sent after registration
- Exam anxiety (hybrid): Why exams trigger anxiety – understanding and alleviating exam nerves. 15 June 2026, 5:30-6:30 pm, on-site in HS II, participation link (online) is sent after registration
- Blows of fate (online): When life challenges us – ways to regain strength and enjoyment of life. 22 October 2026, 6-7 pm, participation link is sent after registration
- Study-Work-Life Balance (online): 4 November 2026, 4-5 pm, participation link is sent after registration
- Series of talks "Studying mentally fit"*:
- Series of talks about challenges in studies and coping strategies for them
- Dates: 17 March / 14 April / 11 May / 09 June 2026, 6:30-8:00 pm each
- Location: online (participation link)
*Series of talks organised with friendly support of the service unit Accessible Learning.
There are several student support offers at TU Graz:
- Learning Groups for especially challenging courses
- Library "late shift" ("Spätschicht") for joint learning during the final sprint of the semester: at the end of January and the end of June (details)
- Free psychosocial counselling services (see TU4U)
- Library workshops on various topics (e.g. LaTeX, literature research, academic writing; programme overview)
- Graduation support (counselling, workshops and other events, as well as regular open writing groups; see TeachCenter)
- FleKi: Flexible childcare (see TU4U)
This list provides an initial, but incomplete overview. HTU Graz and the individual student representatives also offer a wide range of advisory and support services, for example.
Financial support
- Overview of grants, scholarships, etc.
- Overview of funding sources at HTU Graz (student union of TU Graz; including funding for excursions and mental health matters)
- Housing assistance from Styria (means-tested and, in some cases, dependent on parental income; go to calculator; info/websites in German)
- Heating cost grant from the province of Styria (€340, minimum 5 years' primary residence in Styria, means-tested)
- Merit-based scholarships of the faculties (more information in TU4U after selecting the respective dean's office)
The list is not exhaustive and is primarily intended as a guide.
Mobility
- Compare (youth) climate tickets vs. single tickets
- Use a bicycle (inexpensive second-hand bike + good lock)
- ÖBB Vorteilscard Jugend (for under 26s).
Eating and daily life
- Use the canteen/mensa
- Plan and cook in advance instead of shopping or ordering food when you're hungry
- Bring your own coffee and water bottle
- Use food-saving apps such as TooGoodToGo
- Buy second-hand (clothing, furniture, other everyday items) via willhaben, vinted or the TU Graz initiative "Furniture reUse"
Studies and material
- Use the library (borrow textbooks, access e-books via the university)
- Buy second-hand lecture notes (ÖH/HTU exchanges, via Studo)
- Free software: e.g. Office 365/JetBrains/Autodesk/Matlab campus licences (more detailed information here - Website in German)
Finance and contracts
- Subscription check every 6 months: streaming, cloud, gym – cancel or switch to annual (cheaper)
- Insurance: household insurance as a flat share policy; accident insurance for students
- Energy: check your electrictiy/gas contracts for cheaper alternatives on a regular base, for example via E-Control or durchblicker.at (both websites in German)
Jobs, grants, taxes
- Check your eligibility for study/housing grants (note: these are often subject to income limits)
- File your employee tax return (tax adjustment); if you are employed on an irregular basis, you will often receive a refund. Tips on this can be found at the Chamber of Labour ("Arbeiterkammer"), among other places
- Apply for the commuter allowance if you are employed and commute to work
How much students can save each month depends heavily on their individual financial situation. During their studies in particular, income is often irregular, for example because they only work part-time, the amount of work varies from month to month, or they temporarily earn more during the summer months than during the semester. Therefore, it is not possible to specify a universal amount that should be saved each month. Nevertheless, it is advisable to put something aside regularly, even if the amount saved varies.
An approximate savings plan could look like this:
- Income up to €700 (minor income + family allowance): save 10% monthly until at least one month's income is reached
- Income up to €1,000: 15-20% monthly
- Special income: save as much as possible, either in full or half
In months when you have significantly less available, it can still make sense to set aside at least 1-5% so that you don't lose your savings routine and your available buffer doesn't get any smaller. There are also various free apps that can help you with tracking and planning.
Info about "Prüfungsaktivität" and study progress
From 16 ECTS credits per academic year and studies. This includes credits earned between 1 October and 30 September of an academic year (excluding credits transferred from other institutions). When enrolling in multiple degree programmes, ECTS credits are not added together, i.e. in order to be considered active in the programme, 16 ECTS credits must be earned for each degree programme. First-year students who begin their studies in the summer semester therefore only have one semester to reach this threshold and be counted as exam-active ("prüfungsaktiv").
Of course. However, as a university, we would also like to see you successfully complete your degree. A degree that is always above the examination activity threshold is in the interests of both parties: you gain in terms of predictability and speed of study on the way to graduation, while at the same time your academic performance helps to generate additional resources for better teaching and study conditions.
In short, the more studies a university reports as exam-active, the more funds it has at its disposal. These funds can ultimately be used for additional resources, such as laboratory equipment or additional staff to improve student-teaching staff ratios. This, in turn, improves the quality of study conditions.
Nothing from the university. However, if you receive family allowance, you must also provide proof of 16 ECTS credits in your first year of study to avoid having to make repayments. Apart from examination activity, there is also a minimum study requirement ("Mindeststudienleistung"): in all new Bachelor's programmes started since the 2022/23 academic year, students must demonstrate study progress of at least 16 successfully completed ECTS credits within the first 4 semesters, otherwise their admission to the programme in question will be revoked for two years.
